PPOA Secures Freeway Sign to Honor Fallen Deputy

September 4, 2018

DEPUTY DIDIER HURDLE / END OF WATCH: 11/25/77

Deputy Didier “Dee” Hurdle was shot and killed on November 25, 1977 in the Willowbrook area of Los Angeles. Deputy Hurdle was fatally wounded when he and a cadet trainee stopped a car containing suspected gang members. As one of the suspects exited the vehicle and opened fire, the cadet was wounded in the leg and shoulder. Deputy Hurdle, although wearing a ballistic vest, was shot in the shoulder and the bullet deflected downward into his chest causing his death.

Deputy Hurdle was only 36 years of age at the time of his passing, and had served 8 years, 6 months and 10 days since his appointment as a deputy sheriff on May 15, 1969.

Retired LASD Sergeant Bob Ouellette has been working for years trying to get a freeway sign honoring Deputy Hurdle but had been unsuccessful. In October 2017, Bob reached out to PPOA President Brian Moriguchi asking for help. “I am in awe of the tenacity of Mr. Ouellette to fight for recognition of his fallen comrade for such a long time,” stated Moriguchi. “We had just successfully lobbied for a freeway sign for Sergeant Steve Owen. I was confident we could do the same for Dee Hurdle even though his death occurred decades earlier.”

PPOA’s lobbyist, John Lovell, successfully found state legislators willing to advocate on our behalf. Assemblyman Mike Gibson and Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon agreed to champion this effort. “We are deeply thankful to these legislators for their leadership,” stated Lovell. “Every officer killed in the line of duty deserves to be recognized, no matter how long ago it occurred.”

PPOA will pay for the cost of the freeway sign and work collectively with Bob Ouellette, the Hurdle family and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department for the freeway sign dedication ceremony.